Saturday, 30 October 2021

SeMal (Sevilla to Malaga) 2021

 

 

This has been another trip of the improvised kind. We planned it just a few few weeks ago with no idea of what to expect (expect nothing) and it turned out to be way beyond our dreams. We had a week off and wanted to get the last sunshine before winter, and cycling is always a great way to explore places. I didn't know Andalucía very well, but Paul is fond of it (now I see why!), we checked flights and routes and came up with the SeMal, which would take us from Sevilla to Malaga via some incredible places.

The idea of packing the bikes and drag them around for 1 week made me cry, so that we went the easy way and rented them instead. We went for 2 mountain bikes as it was pretty much the only option we could find in all the Malaga area, and got 2 Orbea Alma H20 from DSG Bikes in Torremolinos. We had no problems at all, they felt super comfortable from min one and they delivered them to the airport. They came with no racks which forced us to go the bikepacking style and bring the essential (=1 pair of shorts). I've never been happier, provided the weather is good, as it was, you really don't need much to live on!

I have no idea how Paul came up with this route but he deserves the Genius medal (or the very lucky guy one...). We went through incredible and varied landscapes, passing though deserts, mountains, natural parks, Via Verde, a bit of the TransAndalucia route, small villages who never saw a tourist, very touristic places, and of course the seaside! We saw an incredible amount of birds and everyone we met has genuinely been very kind to us. We even managed to win the vegetarian struggle and came back with all all weight (I did, Paul lost a kilo, why??). We were on busy A roads, quiet roads, many dirt tracks and the occasional paths, and have no regrets on being on any of them. Car drivers have been kind too and always overtook giving lot of space, it was truly a dream cycle. 

Getting to Sevilla, and day off in Sevilla

22 and 23 October 2021

Day one could easily have been split in 5 days and by the end of it we slept very sound. It was an early start at 3.15am to get on the 5.45am plane to Malaga. We only had a 20l rucksack each which spared us the queue of the check in. By 10am we landed and waited 1 hour for the bikes to be delivered, with a coffee and bocadillo de tortilla in our hands and the warm sunshine in our faces. 

 


The bikes arrived and we got on the adjustments and fitting the bags, by 11.30am we were already on the road, or more precisely trying to find the road to Malaga. 

The 2 very guapos as I described us in the text to say we were there
 

Setting off from an airport is always a bit intimidating. You have no clue where you are and where you are going, everything is different and the Garmin decided to take a day off. We reverted to the good old fashioned “ask people” and eventually got on the Via Verde, which took us to the bike lane by the coast in Malaga and straight to the Bus Station where we got at 12.45, in time for lunch. 

 


Bikes packed and ready to go on the bus!

For the first, and last, time we got a very nice salad while waiting for the 2.30pm bus to Sevilla. At 2pm we went to the station to get the bikes ready. It's not usually a problem to get them on Alsa buses, but you need to pay €10 when booking the ticket, and wrap them in a bag. We bought the 2 covers from Chain Reaction, for just £12 each, they are not too fussy about taking wheels out but the idea is to wrap them in case they are dirty (I think). This was good as we found out there that my front wheel was so tightly locked that we couldn't take it out...good stuff we found out there and not in the middle of nowhere with a puncture to fix... We put them inside the bus and crossed fingers for them to make the trip in one piece.

Being Friday there was a lot of traffic and we got to Sevilla at 5.30pm, 30 min after schedule, highly dehydrated and exhausted. We (= Paul) put the bikes together and started walking towards our Apartment, the Slow Suites Setas, by the Setas, and stopped at a bike shop along the way to get the front wheel out. Job done we kept pushing and finally at 6.30pm we were inside the flat. We wrapped the bikes in the plastic bags as we were asked for a €250 deposit (??!!??)and didn't want to lose any of it..nor did we mentioned that we had 2 bikes! Next job was to go to the shop to get food for breakfast, and finally at 8pm we got our shower and headed out for dinner. It was dark by then but Sevilla looks more beautiful in her evening dress and it was a pleasure to stroll around. Everybody was out, children playing, families, friends gathering, tourists. We were walking down the Setas, completely spaced out, all was so atmospheric and beautiful that we had no clue how we ended up there...time for food! All the tapa situation felt a bit overwhelming so that we went for an easy pizza, which was not great but it filled us up. We were too tired to keep wandering after dinner and headed to sleep at 11.30pm, when people were starting their dinner...



I'm an early bird and could hardly believe it when I saw the watch and it said 9am. I haven't slept so late since I was a teenager!! We had a leisure breakfast in the flat and at 10am we were finally ready to explore the city. We went first to the Cathedral, then Plaza Espana and Plaza de las Armas, everywhere was beautiful and unexpectedly green, with trees of any size coming out from every corners and huge parks. At noon we sat for a coffee in Plaza Espana and just sitting there with the sun felt lovely, like a proper holiday with no stress. By the time we got back to the centre it was packed with people. We went to the flat to get our lunch (tostadas con tomate) and then chilled out a bit before heading out again.






Round 2 took us along the river and then to Triana where we stopped for a beer in one of the 1000 bars along the street. We got back to the river at sunset time, with all the people dressed up for a Saturday night (we already had no clue which day of the week it was!). Dinner was noodles at a Chinese restaurant by the Setas. We were hoping to go up and have a look at the city at night but the queue put us off and we went to Decathlon instead to get a lock for the bikes (they didn't give us one as they are too expensive..) and then back home getting packed for the big start of the trip tomorrow.







Double caramelised vodka for Paul + beer = HOLIDAYS!!

Back to the bunker

Day 1 – Sevilla to Montellano – 97 km, 720m up

24 October 2021


This marked the proper start of the trip. We woke up shortly after 7am as we expected a long day ahead and wanted to leave Sevilla while it was still asleep, or hangovering. It was just about to get light when we left at 8.30am. Packed and ready we started by walking our way through the numerous alleys from the centre, and then joined the cycling lane out of town along the river, which we couldn't really see but at least there was a proper cycling lane! It was a slow start due to the numerous junctions but eventually we got out of Sevilla. We then got on a dirt track and I was very glad to be on a mountain bike as the going got rough, can't believe that we were even thinking of renting hybrid bikes!

We reached the Via Verde, with the sound of hunters shooting 20m from us... Without an odometer I had no clue how fast we were going and which distance we were covering, which at first made me feel a bit anxious but I soon got used to it. Life is much better without all these gadgets, I wish I could throw away my mobile and watch too!

We were going through a plain of dry fields and passed by something which may have been a rice field. There were birds everywhere, and the top sights have been egrets perching on horses, flamingos, storks and a flock of goldfinches. We thought this long flat stretch would be boring to death but it turned out to be extremely enjoyable, and it was hot already!




 
 

We reached stop 1 at Los Palacios and stopped at the first cafe along the road, which turned out to be very interesting...that place has never seen a foreigner before, it was mostly local people getting their Sunday breakfast (=beer) as per normal routine. Inside it was anarchy, a feeling of Far West, it was so busy but the man running it was not that bothered and didn't even try to rush things...After half an hour (Paul was outside on strict instructions not to leave the bikes unattended and was thinking I got kidnapped) we eventually got out coffees and tostadas with oil only, and 2 juices. It turned out the juices had milk in them and were utterly disgusting so that we left those there. I remember telling Paul that that was not a place where you want to bring your children and then families started to come in...definitely an experience!

 


We bypassed the centre and cycled in the outskirts which were kind of gypsy camps. I was scared to death at the thought of dogs jumping and barking at us but it all turned out to be ok and we rejoined the main road without accidents. Tarmac would be to the end of the day.


In no time we reached the next village, Las Cabezas de San Juan, which we could see from a distance in its white outfit up on a little hill. The place couldn't have been more different from the first one. Everyone was out in their best Sunday dress for mass. All the houses were white and the squares pretty and full of character. There were a few bars and we stopped at one for our lunch. It was 12 and they were not ready for lunch so that we got 2 mini bocadillos with manchego cheese and tomatoes, huge olives and a juice (I did ask if it had milk...questions I'd never have thought I would ask in my life). The waiter there was super friendly and helpful, and just the atmosphere generally was warm and welcoming. While eating I spotted a huge stork nest by the bell of this small colonial church, and the thought of baby storks being born there at some stage put a smile on my face. 



It was too good to leave and we stopped a bit more on a bench just soaking up the sun and the atmosphere, and then we got ready for the next stage. The flat bit was behind us and it would start to climb soon, but we were on a paved road with little traffic and it was a pleasure to cycle on. All around were gentle hills of pastel colours ranging from red to cream, in all their nuances. We kept rolling on this road to Villamartin, and then after 8km got on the one which would bring us to Montellano. It was early afternoon now and very hot. No trees or vegetation to give us shelter, we were in melting mode. Then we met the weirdo of the day. We were going downhill and could see a cyclist down at the side of the road moving his arms asking us to stop. It was a very nice guy who was a bit lost and asked if we knew the area. Unfortunately for him we didn't, but checked the Garmin and told him where a road was going to...really hope he made it to his destination!








 
 

We could see the mountains far away and it was just a pleasure to ride those 27km. The last 5k were all uphill, but then we were trying to kill time as the check in was at 4pm and just paced ourselves while absorbing all the beauty around. Slowly we reached Montellano, which was a bit sleepy being Sunday. All was pretty much closed, but we managed to find a tiny shop open and got some cold drinks which we drank at a pretty square close to our hotel, on the very top of town. 





 
We had to wait 30min for the Hotel Andalou to open, but it was worth it as it was truly a gem of a place (and the only one in town). Inside it's so well decorated with Andalusian themes, and out room was on the first floor with 2 balconies overlooking all the plains, which at night was the best view ever.

We got sorted and went to see town. There were a few tapa cafes open but nothing really remarkable, loads of people just driving around in circle. A man was selling chestnuts and I couldn't resist, I got a bag of them and went to eat them at the same square. Dinner was a bit of an ordeal but somehow we got fed. The only problem in the hotel was that the tap water was not drinkable...the girl at the reception was not so explicit about it so that I thought, this is not Cuba, sure you can drink it it just smells weird. That was a very poor tactical mistake from my side as the day after I was not really feeling that great...lesson learnt!!












Day 2 – Montellano to Grazalema – 67km, 1460m up

25 October 2021


I finished this day in a zombie status...one day you laugh one day you cry, and the water incident didn't help make the day any easier!

We woke up optimistically in our beautiful room with the view of the lights in the plains below, which somehow reminded me of Cuba. We went for breakfast at 8.30am sharp and it was a nice one, my stomach was a bit weird but I managed to get something down anyway. We got ourselves sorted and at 9.30am we were on the road, the first 2k being a long descent out of town, the one we climbed the day before. Then we got on the main road for 8km until we reached the start of the Via Verde de la Sierra. This was a pleasure to cycle on, and amazingly we met nobody, just plenty of birds! This route goes all the way to Olvera, but we were on it for just 15km. It used to be a railway so that it's basically flat, with plenty of tunnels, some of them really long with lights that switch on when you pass, and plenty of swallows flying through. It was truly a pleasure to ride and by the end of it we were covered in dust. 

















 
We were down in the valley, and then got on a quiet road which would take us up on a beautiful climb. I loved it, the more we climbed the better the views. There was not really a top as once we gained elevation it was more of an exhausting roller coaster. I started to feel like I needed a good break, but pushed on until we rejoined the main road. Zahra was only 9km away but there was a truck restaurant there and we decided to stop. It was more of a kind 1 of place (see Los Palacios..) but we had a decent meal. Paul loved his fried cheese and me my potatoes and eggs, kind of alternative tortilla I suppose... 



 

The views would just get better from there. We got on the road to Zahara, which we could see from a distance nested up a hill with a castle on top. At his feet was an embalse, which made it look even more picturesque. The climb to get there was not too hard but we stopped at a café anyway as we knew what was coming...an Alpine climb! I never drink Coke but I got myself one in the hope it would make me fly (the local olives were delicious too...). It didn't make me fly but slowly slowly we cycled the 11km up to the Puerto de las Palomas at 1357m, with gradients going up to 9%. It did feel like we were back in the Alps, with the mark signs at every 1k giving you the gradients, the hairpin bends and with amazing views. Apart from the water incidents and belly related problems, I added some saddle sore due to the constant chaffing of my new shorts on the butt...it turned out to be quite a bad burnt but at the time I didn't know and just kept cycling...








 
 

Getting to the top of these climbs is always a relief and bring immense satisfaction. There was a mirador and we went to check out the well deserved views. They should have called it the Puerto de los Buitres (vultures) rather than the palomas as there were many flying high up. All of a sudden we also heard a flock of choughs which flew by at a speed...and what was probably a peregrine at a distance.

 






This was the first day that the sun was hiding behind the clouds, and up there it was quite chilly so that we wrapped up for the short descent to Grazalema and took it super slow. It was just a few km to destination and by 4.30pm we were checking in at the Villa Turistica de Grazalema, a nice resort but being a chain it lacked character, and we got there together with a bunch of assholes which didn't help...

The room had a balcony looking at this beautiful village, but I was cold, nauseous and with a bad saddle sore and all I wanted was a hot shower. That helped to warm me up, and we then went to check out town, trip to the pharmacy to get my butt cream (the things I never thought I had to explain in Spanish...), and a trip to the shop. By the time we got back the sky was turning red and gave us the best sunset. We stopped at the mirador and there were tens and tens of bats flying all around, another beautiful day ending even better!





We were planning to go out for dinner, but were not particular inspired by the choices and with my stomach we just ate crackers and guacamole, which was still better than the dinner the night before!


Day 3 – Grazalema to Ronda – 30km, 500m up

26 October 2021

We knew it would be a short day with potentially some pushing the bikes along paths, and my butt was praying that the pushing would take most of the 30k on the map (wearing tights today)!!

I slept like a log, the stomach was much better and I woke up with a good appetite. Breakfast turned out to be ok, we even got muesli and of course our tostadas with tomato, now a staple in our diets. By 9.20am we were ready to start the day, and as usual the mantra was “expect nothing”.

The day started with a short downhill to get to the road, then we started climbing for a few kilometres and got on a dirt track packed with little houses all around. It felt a bit dodgy but soon we got to the middle of nowhere and the path began. It was all very arid with plants and spiny bushes. We started pushing the bikes and at times it was a carry the bike, glad we had no panniers! The path was very narrow and the legs got scratched regularly but we could hear thousands of birds of many different species and with the autumn colours it was a pleasure to walk there. We kept like this for 1 or 2 hours, and half way through we stopped for a break and could see the vultures who were gathering to check us out...we then saw the eaten carcass of a wild boar. 





Couldn't think of anything else








 

Finally we got off the path and were on a beautiful dirt track, with cows taking the right of way, and the more we followed it the more the landscape opened and could see hills all around, what a treat to the eyes! We then got on the paved road down to the quiet village of Montejaque where we stopped to get breakfast 2, or lunch, our eating pattern had no name any more. We got 2 tortillas with spinach and bread which went down really well, there was nobody around but it did feel great to sit outside in the sun. 





 
We were not super motivated but it was only 20k to destination and it had to be done. The first few km were downhill, then it started to be bumpy with short steep climb and quite a lot of traffic. Then we went off road again on a big climb up which was a push the bikes again, today it was one of those days but have no regrets at all! Once on the top we could finally see Ronda nesting on top of those massive cliffs, I honestly didn't expect such a view! It was a short cycle to get to town and the check in at the Hotel Colon went smoothly. The lady running it had the smile of a child and was the most welcoming person ever. We somehow brought the bikes down in a cellar and went for our well deserved shower. 









 

We planned a short day so to have time to go and check out the village, and so glad we did as it's truly beautiful. Being a touristy attraction there were quite a few people around but not massively crowded. We walked first in the centre to get some treats (the ice cream plan got cancelled as it was actually chilly up there with the wind), then along the walls of town on the hill. The sunset walk didn't let us down, we walked to the old town and over the bridge on the gorge . Life was smiling again. The best view was at sunset, with all the cats getting the last heat of the day far away from humans, we just loved that!










They understood it all














 
Dinner was a super heavy pizza followed by a manzanilla to digest it, and for dessert we watched Isla Minima, a movie about the murder of a few girls in an Andalusian town...

Day 4 – Ronda to El Chorro – 64 km, 1100m up

27 October 2021

This turned out to be the best day of the trip (and not that the others were bad!). It didn't start that great though...when we went to get the bikes Paul found his front tyre was flat. It must have been a slow puncture from the many thorns from the day before as we couldn't find the hole, but we used another tube and problem solved.

Finally at 9.20am we were on the go, and had to negotiate our way out of town. We were then on a paved road on the quiet side with huge signs warning car drivers of cyclists, we love Spain! It was a long climb of the stunning kind up to the Puerto del Viento, and guess what that means?? It was bloody windy, Scotland like, and of course it was head wind!! But the views made up for it, we could see Ronda at a distance and all the mountains nearby, and the bit after was even better. At first it was down, then up again before starting an amazing descent to El Burgo, an Alpine kind of descent, on a smoothly tarmacked road, nice bends and the village at our feet, this is the descent that I was waiting for 2 days ago!! 




















In El Burgo we stopped for a tosdada de queso and to heat up a bit. We were in a small café packed with locals and the random cyclist. Leg 2 of the day took us up again on a road, with a series of short steep climbs and flat bits. On the top we then got on the Trans Andalucia route, all off track but of a decent kind, like I could cycle all of it. At first it was bumpy up in the forests, and then finally we got 12k of a super panoramic descent, the kind that you get to the bottom with open eyes and mouth thinking “was that real?” It could easily have been the best part of this all!!


















We got to the small village of Ardales where we stopped for lunch. When we said we are vegetarian (not even pescado??) the poor waiter looked in the air but thankfully they had mini vegetarian burgers, we got 2 each with a cold drink and that was really a nice meal.

I really didn't want to leave but there was still leg 3 and if you wanted the bike you then have to cycle. And thank goodness we had to as the ext bit was even better that those before. We were originally planning to go up some fucked up path again, but then decided to follow the road instead and that brought us first to an embalse, and then along gorges up to Los Gigantes and the Caminito del Rey all the way to our day destination: El Chorro!

There is no much in El Chorro so that we had to spoil ourselves and stay at the Hotel La Garganta, where we had a cave/room with swing outside looking at the embalse. It was honestly one of the best cycling day of my life.








Day 5 – El Chorro to Torremolinos – 64km, 390m up

28 October 2021

There are not many pictures of the last day as it was just a matter of getting to the seaside.

We set off on the upper road from El Chorro and then on a dirt track which offered brilliant views of the hills around, and were guided by the sunshine which was shining in front of us. It was mostly a bumpy descent until we reached the road, and then followed it to Pizarro, at km 23, where we stopped for a pre lunch of tostada de queso for a change. We were not too hungry but we still had a bit to go and thought “you eat when you find food”. From there we went on the road to Cartama, where we were supposed to get on a dirt track but that turned out to be closed by a gate... We went back thinking we will need to get a train, but there was a strike on so we went on the main road. A few km out of town we saw the cyclist in front of us disappearing and spotted a dirt track, we got on it and eventually rejoined the route that we were planning to take.


From there I had no clue where we have been, but the dirt track bypassed all the industrial bit and the airport and somehow we found ourselves on the Via Verde we got on the first day from the airport. We went the other direction and eventually reached the sea!!! What an amazing feeling of happiness and relief! It was still a bit to get to Torremolinos as the Eurovelo disappeared and we had to bypass hotels and golf courses, but eventually we got on the wide promenade that goes along town (a long one indeed), and made it to the bike shop were we gladly returned the bikes. It went all so smooth that I can hardly believe it!

The moment we realised we made it!!










Pomegranate courtesy of the road

The Hotel Bajondillo was a short walk away, and it was a super huge 10 floor building of apart. We checked in the best apart ever, with view on the sea and the coast and could hear the roaring sea. In the evening we went for a walk along the promenade to say goodbye to yet another amazing trip. We will certainly be back to Andalucía!


Hasta luego Andalucía, we will be back!

 


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